Controversial vocational education broker Acquire Learning has been fined $4.5 million after the Federal Court found the company misled vulnerable students, by convincing them to sign up for courses they were unlikely to complete.

The brokers, who were paid $20.20 an hour plus incentives of cash and prizes, told students they could help find them their "dream job" in their local community, and that the Government would cover the costs.

Private training colleges would hire Acquire Learning, and pay them a cut of the Federal Government funding they would receive through the HECS-style loan scheme called VET FEE HELP.

Federal Court Justice Bernard Murphy said while the company only admitted to making calls to eight job seekers, it admitted that the calls were not made by rogue employees but were part of its core business model.

"I infer that these eight instances were not isolated examples," he said.

"Acquire admits that it used undue pressure, unfair sales tactics, made false and misleading representations, did not provide an opportunity for the job applicants to consider the suitability of the courses being offered."

Justice Murphy said the company did not tell applicants they would owe a debt to the Commonwealth.

Justice Murphy said Acquire Learning was "unconscionable" in its targeting of vulnerable students.

"Some job applicants disclosed that they had a learning disability including difficulty reading, mental illness, an inability to complete other education courses, or had only completed school to year seven or ten," Justice Murphy said.

"One job applicant had difficulty understanding and speaking English.

"Notwithstanding this, Acquire induced them to enrol on the spot in a course which they were unlikely to be able to complete and/or which was unlikely to assist them to obtain better employment than if they had not enrolled."